Mixing system for highly concentrated fine-grained suspensions

The mixing equipment for highly concentrated fine-grained suspensions must be designed differently from the equipment in which a suspension with a low concentration of the solid phase or bigger particles is mixed. It is due to the different rheological properties of the suspensions. In this work we are trying to find a suitable mixing system for a highly concentrated fine-grained suspension. The aim was to determine an effect of particular geometrical parameters of the tested mixing systems on a suspension process, especially from the energetic viewpoint. The energetic costs of all the used mixing systems were compared on the basis of the power consumption which was necessary for reaching the state of sufficient suspension movement in the whole mixed bulk. As a result, it was confirmed that multistage impellers can be used even in standard vessels (with a liquid level height equal to a vessel diameter) with a profit. During experiments, the state of sufficient movement was determined by a visual observation of the suspension at the vessel bottom, at the wall and also at the suspension level.